


What the Spark Wants

by Phantom_Thief_1412



Series: Of Hearts and Sparks [2]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: more to be added - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:28:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28952730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phantom_Thief_1412/pseuds/Phantom_Thief_1412
Summary: Still new to her Cybertronian body, and trying to balance the Creator bonds with her two overprotective Creators, Elize finds herself bonded to yet another mech. Yet this bond is a Link, and her partner is left in the hands of the enemy. With the pressure mounting, with Elize manage to keep herself together long enough for her Link-partner to come home?
Relationships: Jazz/Prowl (Transformers), Ratchet/Wheeljack, Soundwave/Original Character
Series: Of Hearts and Sparks [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2123601
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	What the Spark Wants

**Author's Note:**

  * For [arabis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/arabis/gifts).



> I am so, so, so sorry this took so long! I finally got settled into a new work schedule with a much more physically demanding job than my last one but find myself far less stressed and overwhelmed by it. But I am finally back and ready to continue the adventures of our human-turned-Cybertronian heroine!
> 
> Welcome back for those who made their the whole way through the first installment in this series, Of Hearts and Sparks. If you haven’t read that I recommend reading through it or you will be entirely lost in this story as you will lack much needed backstory for the main character. Thank you all so much for reading!

**What the Spark Wants**

**Chapter One**

**Where the Spark Is**

Optimus looked up from the datapads on his desk as the door to his office hissed open. Ratchet stepped inside, letting the door close behind him before walking forward to stand right in front of his leader’s desk. Optimus looked at him, curious, even as he reached out over the Creator-bond to check on Elize. He found her spark quiet and relaxed, nodding to himself.

“You put her in recharge?” he asked, looking back down at the datapad. It contained a great deal of information, mainly received from Frenzy in reference to his master’s rescue. They didn’t have complete plans of the Nemesis, but what they had was nothing short of extensive. The Cassette had hidden nothing from them, even letting Ratchet through his firewalls to check. All the while refusing to leave Elize’s side.

“Yes,” Ratchet said, “Putting her in stasis is out of the question, who knows what that would do to Soundwave, but she’s exhausted from the constant drain on her energy. I doubt Soundwave even knows he’s doing it.”

“Using it to combat the viruses?” Optimus asked, and he vented at the nod from his Chief Medical Officer. Who knew what kind of damage the viruses had already done to the mech. They could only hope none of it was permanent.

“Frenzy refuses to leave her. He also says the rest of the Cassettes should be on their way here, and they might have more information. Soundwave must have sent them away before he was caught.”

Optimus clenched a servo on the desk, “I had always wondered why a mech who cared so deeply for his Cassettes ended up on the side of the Decepticons. And now we know.”

“Using most of those viruses on another Cybertronian is considered a war crime,” Ratchet pointed out, and Optimus nodded.

“I am aware. And Megatron will pay for his crimes, both during and before the war. I promise you that, old friend.”

Ratchet nodded, then ex-vented sharply, “Why did she wait so long to bring this to us? The Link must have strained to the point of near agony.”

Optimus nodded, “We know she has problems with self-worth, but this was also caused, at least in part, by Soundwave’s own feelings. He knew she would be in danger if Megatron found out who Soundwave was Linked to. His intense need for secrecy may have been transmitted down the Link without him realizing.”

Ratchet nodded, “Hopefully the presence of the rest of the Cassettes will alleviate the pressure on her spark a bit more. Frenzy has certainly helped with it from what I can tell, and from what she’s said.”

Optimus hummed, “Then while they are here until we rescue Soundwave, they should naturally stay with Elize,” the leader said, “Though hopefully that won’t be for long. The goal is to get Soundwave back to the base as soon as we can.”

“And directly to my med bay,” Ratchet growled, “Who knows what long term use of those viruses has done to his processor.”

“And straight to your med bay for a full virus scan and treatment,” Optimus said, “I’ll see what I can do about keeping Elize busy. I’m almost certain that she’ll be there fussing over him every day. And I also know that it will drive you to throwing wrenches.”

Ratchet snorted, “She’s definitely the type to fuss. If we ask, the Cassettes might help keep her out of the med bay as well, if it means their Creator might recover faster. That aside, how are the others taking the news?”

Optimus released a deep vent, “It’s as I expected,” he said, “The twins, Jazz and Prowl are talking the other Autobots around. Ultra Magnus is the only other one who is sure he won’t be a problem, which did surprise me. Bluestreak is being particularly stubborn.”

The medic nodded, “Considering his past I can’t say I’m surprised,” he said, “But we’re running out of time.”

“Hot Rod promised to talk to him,” Optimus said, “He was resisting too, until one of the twins told him about the Link.”

“I thought we were trying to keep that under wraps for now,” Ratchet said, and Optimus nodded.

“That was the plan initially,” he said, “But Sunstreaker and Sideswipe got into an argument with Hot Rrod and it slipped out. Naturally everyone knows now, but there are still holdouts.”

“Of course there are,” Ratchet said, “Well then, I should return to the Med bay. I left Wheel jack keeping an eye on Elize and he’s still not entirely comfortable around Frenzy.”

“Have you had a chance to look into his stutter?” Optimus asked, curious.

“My best guess is that the viruses in Soundwave’s system started to bleed over into his Cassettes,” Ratchet said, “It might be why Soundwave sent Frenzy here in the first place. I’ll look over the other Cassettes when they arrive to see if they are suffering any negative effects as well.”

Optimus nodded, “I instructed Perceptor to allow the Cassettes through the shield when they arrive, and I doubt they’ll have trouble finding their way to their brother once they get through. Frenzy will lead them right to him.”

\----------------------------

When Elize onlined the found herself staring straight into unfamiliar optics. She jolted in surprise, but stopped when she heard Frenzy chiding someone from directly next to her helm.

“R-rumble! B-b-b-b-be n-n-nice!”

She turned her helm to smile at the little Cassette, even as the one on her chassis climbed down with a grumble, allowing her to sit up and note a few things.

One, there was a large mechanical cat sitting in her lap, looking up at her. Two, there was a pair of birds, similar to the cat, perched on a nearby shelf. Three, Rumble, the Cassette that had been right in her face looked similar to Frenzy, but he was clearly more robust than the stick thin Saboteur. Four, the cat in her lap was laying on something. Something that looked like a large folded piece of cloth. Fifth, her spark ached noticeably less than it had before she had been put in recharge. The cloth was somehow the most confusing part of the whole situation.

“You must be the other Cassettes,” she finally said. The cat stood on her lap, stretching as cats, no matter whether they were organic or Cybertronian, always do.

“That is correct,” the cat said as it hopped down, “I am Ravage. You have met Rumble and Frenzy,” her tail flicked to indicate the birds, “The one on the left side of the shelf is Lazerbeak, and his companion is Buzzsaw. Oh, and the Autobot twins brought this while you recharged.”

Ravage placed a paw on the cloth on her lap, and Elize nodded, picking up the bundle to hold to her chassis, “Are all of you alright?” Elize asked them. She could feel Frenzy climbing up her arm and settling on her shoulder, where he liked to sit after she finished her work each day and had returned to her room.

“We are unharmed,” One of the birds, Lazerbeak, said, “Soundwave had us fleeing as soon as he realized he had been found out.”

She nodded, squeezing the bundle against her chassis a bit, noting the significant ease of the pain in her spark. Then she hadn’t been imagining how Frenzy’s presence had made her feel better after all.

“And… Soundwave?” she asked, looking around at the Cassettes, “Has there been any progress?”

“We provided your Creators with all the information we had on the subject of the Nemesis and how best to infiltrate it,” Ravage said, “And from what we have overheard, the plan to rescue our master is coming along. They hope to launch it within the next two weeks.”

“That’s too long!” Elize burst out, ignoring the flashes of concern from Optimus and Ratchet, “We have no idea if he has that kind of time!”

“Rushing in won’t do you much good,” Ravage said, meeting her optics calmly, “It would upset Soundwave if you were to come to harm during his rescue. I doubt Megatron will risk killing one of the greatest assets of the last several deca-vorns if there is still a chance for him to be turned back into a useful pawn.”

Elize gripped the cloth tighter, “But we don’t know that for sure.”

“And you worrying will do Soundwave no good at all,” the Cassette remained calm, “He needs you to support him through the Link, and he can feel you worrying, Phoenix.”

“Elize,” she said, almost absently. She felt the weight on her shoulder shift, and glanced at Frenzy, then back to the cat on her lap, who was giving her a curious look.

“That’s not a Cybertronian name,” the cat noted, and Elize nodded, almost absently.

“Everyone here already knows, so there’s no reason not to tell you,” she said, then hesitated. But if they would be upset by the truth, then Link or no Link, she and Soundwave would never work, “I used to be human.”

The Cassettes all shifted to give her surprised looks, and she shrugged, nearly unseating Frenzy. It wasn’t a big deal really, considering the Link and the risk to Soundwave at the moment. Besides, she had been told to tell someone, anyone the details of what had happened to her by Dr. Hale. A trust exercise or something of the sort. The therapist had likely thought it would be Optimus or Ratchet she told, but after everything… the fact that the Cassettes had never known her as a human somehow made it easier.

“I’ll tell you the whole story after we rescue Soundwave,” she offered, “It’s pretty long, and to be honest I’d rather not have to do it a second time. And Soundwave, I think he deserves to hear it straight from me, not from your memory banks.”

Ravage nodded slowly, “That seems reasonable,” the cat said, glancing behind them as the door to the med bay hissed open and Ratchet stepped in with a stern look on his faceplates.

“How in the pit have come out of recharge already?” he asked her directly, and Elize shuttered her optics in surprise as the medic focused on what she was holding, “And what is that?”

Elize looked down at the cloth in her arms, surprised to realize she had completely forgotten about it in her haste to assure herself of the Casette’s well-being, and learn what she could about Soundwave.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, “Apparently Sunny and Sides brought it while I was recharging. I haven’t had a chance to look at it yet.”

Ratchet vented and shook his helm, “You didn’t even get through two-thirds of the recharge cycle I initiated. The Link-deprivation may be interfering with your systems more than I predicted.” He looked her over, then looked to Ravage, “Why don’t you take the Cassettes back to your quarters and try to get a bit more rest. I told Optimus to keep you on Medical leave until this situation with Soundwave has been resolved.”

“You _benched_ me?” she asked, and she felt Frenzy shift on her shoulder to keep his balance as she whipped her legs down to face the medic squarely. The medic met her gaze as she felt an odd sensation, “You can’t mean you’re leaving me here while you go to rescue Soundwave!”

“That is exactly what I mean,” Ratchet said bluntly, “Between the Link-deprivation and the energy drain you are in no state to be participating in anything as pivotal as infiltrating the Nemesis and rescuing Soundwave. I say this as both as Chief Medical Officer, might I add your primary Medic, _and_ as one of your creators.”

“The Pit with that! I’m not staying here doing nothing while Soundwave is in danger!” she snapped at him, feeling the sudden rage burst through her tired system.

Ratchet’s expression darkened, “Elize, this isn’t up for debate,” he told her and she growled as she jumped off the berth, Ravage stepping out of the way as Elize squared off against ambulance.

“Not up for debate?” she heard her volume rising, “You’re right, it isn’t! I just told you I’m not staying behind!”

“As your Medic, I have the authority to determine whether or not you are fit for duty. As your Creator it is my responsibility to make sure you don’t go running off on a slagging glitched suicide mission!”

“Don’t you start pulling rank on me!” she shot back, “Soundwave’s safety is part of my responsibility-”

“Enough.”

Both Elize and Ratchet stopped, and Elize turned and looked up at Optimus as he stepped into the med bay. When had he come in? She hadn’t even heard the door open.

The Cassettes had moved too, she realized. Frenzy had relocated to the top of the helm, leaving her shoulders open for the birds, Lazerbeak and Buzzsaw to perch on. Rumble had scaled her back to seat himself against her neck while Ravage was laying across both her pedes.

The leader looked over the new additions to the Autobots, who had rather effectively pinned his charge in place if she didn’t want to hurt Ravage or dislodge any of the others.

“Phoenix,” he saw her flinch as he used her Cybertronian name, “Ratchet is correct. You are in no state, physically or emotionally to participate in this mission. You will remain off-duty until Soundwave is safely within the Autobot base.”

“But Optimus-!” she started to protest, her words cutting off as she felt the weight on pedes shift.

“What would the point of the operation be if you offlined in the process of it?” Ravage asked her quietly, and her burning rage died a very sudden death.

Elize somehow, in her desperate fear of what would happen to Soundwave, hadn’t even considered what would happen if she were to be killed while rescuing him. What would that do to the already struggling mech?

“Ravage is correct,” Optimus’s voice was almost painfully gentle, “You being damaged or offlined at this point could be disastrous to our efforts. I understand you are worried, and frightened,” she felt a shift in the neural-net, and found her spark signature pressed close to his, comfort and a plea flowing through the bond, “But please, Elize. Trust us to bring him back to you. I will do everything in my power to make that happen.”

Elize felt… tired. And numb. Some distant corner of her processor noted that is she still could, she would probably be crying. She could feel Optimus’s attempts and reassurance through the neural-net, and Ratchets warm, resolved spark-signature just a bit away, not wanting to crowd her.

It was all too much. Too much, too fast, too soon. Only a year ago she had been human. Now she was a Cybertronian, with a Creator bond to two of them and a Link with a third. And the Link was in jeopardy because of a fourth Cybertronian who now hated her existence, though she knew he had no idea who she was.

Someone was guiding her back to the berth, lifting her to get her settled on it. The Cassettes curled up in various spots on the berth, all of them in physical contact somewhere. And Ravage was on her chestplate, purring in a low tone.

“I’m going to put you back in recharge,” Ratchet said gently from next to the berth, “A lot has happened, and you are exhausted. We’ll discuss more of what you can do around base when you’re done recharging.

The cloth was taken from her, and she heard Optimus ex-vent.

“So that’s where all the sheets went,” Ratchet commented, rolling his optics at the giant, patchwork monstrosity of a ‘blanket’ he held. Still…

Turning, he carefully placed the thin blanket over her, and the last thing she heard as he initiated her recharge cycle was the calming purr of Ravage.


End file.
